Information display device, information display method

ABSTRACT

An information display device is provided. The information display device includes a controller for being able to execute a plurality of applications, a user interface for allowing a user to instruct the controller, and a display unit for simultaneously displaying an application selection menu item for allowing the user to select one of the applications and an application proprietary menu item that is used with a selected application, along with an information image created by execution of the selected application. The display unit is configured to display the information image, the application selection menu item, and the application proprietary menu at substantially the same position on a display screen of the display unit, regardless of which application is selected.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese PatentApplication No. 2011-099025, which was filed on Apr. 27, 2011, theentire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to displaying information, where aplurality of applications can be executed and a display screen for anapplication can be switched to another display screen corresponding toanother application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventionally, radar image display devices which create and display aradar image based on one or more echo signals received from a radarantenna has been known. In some of the radar image display devices, menuindications have been devised to display the radar image enlarged on adisplay screen. JP10-239419A discloses this kind of radar image displaydevice, for example.

The radar image display device disclosed in JP10-239419A classifiesvarious menu items into menu items for steady (i.e., static) informationindications and menu items for non-steady (i.e., dynamic) informationindications. The steady information includes information which must bedisplayed, for example by international standards, and information whicha user always wants to observe (information on a ship position, a shipspeed, a heading, etc.), and it is always displayed on a corner part ofa display screen. Whereas, the non-steady information is displayedoverlapping with a radar image when a predetermined operation isperformed by a user. Thus, a radar image can be displayed enlarged,while maintaining operability to some extent.

As for other methods of displaying a radar image, JP05-002065A disclosesa configuration where an azimuth scale is additionally displayed on arange ring (distance ring), and JP08-105954A discloses a configurationwhere ranges which are usually used can be selected by a user bydisplaying a list of available ranges (display distance range).

In recent years, an information display device has been proposed. Thisdevice receives data including positional information of a ship andschool-of-fish information as well as echo signals, and executes anapplication according to the received data to display, for example, aradar image, an electronic nautical chart around the ship, and an imageof the school-of-fish information. This kind of information displaydevice can switch an image displayed on a display screen from one toanother based on an instruction from the user.

However, since types and number of menu items required for each imagedisplayed are different, the conventional information display devicesdescribed above typically display the menu items differently atdifferent positions in the display screen for different images.Therefore, a user must study the display positions and the selectionmanners for every application, confusing the user when selecting a menuitem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made in view of the above situation, andprovides an information display device which can selectively display thedisplay screen image of a plurality of applications to provide a unifiedoperation between the applications.

According to one aspect of the invention, an information display deviceis provided, which includes a controller for being able to execute aplurality of applications, a user interface for allowing a user toinstruct the controller, and a display unit for simultaneouslydisplaying an application selection menu item for allowing the user toselect one of the applications and an application proprietary menu itemthat is used with a selected application, along with an informationimage created by execution of the selected application. The display unitis configured to display the information image, the applicationselection menu item, and the application proprietary menu atsubstantially the same position on a display screen of the display unit,regardless of which application is selected.

Therefore, since the manner of display of the menu items is the sameeven if the application is switched, the user's operations can beunified between the applications.

A selection manner of the application selection menu item and aselection manner of the application proprietary menu item may beconfigured to be substantially the same, regardless of which applicationis selected.

Therefore, since not only the arrangement of the menu item but theselection manner (e.g., a method of displaying apparatuses and buttonsused in the selection of the application, and a method of displayinglower layer menu items in a case where the entire menu item hashierarchy structures) can be made substantially the same between theapplications, the user's operation can be more unified.

The application proprietary menu item may include a first menu itemconfigured to be displayed along an edge of the display screen, andarranged at least one of vertically and horizontally. The applicationproprietary menu item may also include a second menu item associatedwith the first menu item, displayed along an edge of the display screen,and arranged at least one of vertically and horizontally.

Therefore, comparing with a menu configuration of a pull-down methodwhere lower-layer menu items are displayed under the selectedhigher-layer menu item by selecting one of the higher-layer menu itemsarranged in an upper part of a display screen, viewability of theinformation image can be made better at the time of selecting the menuitem.

The arrangement direction of the first menu item may be different fromthe arrangement direction of the second menu item.

Therefore, since the first menu item and the second menu item can bearranged in an L-shape, for example, the two types of menu items can bebrought close. Thus, the user can recognize contents of both the menuitems, without moving a look so much. Moreover, since the two types ofmenu items are brought close, the user's operability can be improved.

The display unit may be configured to display the application selectionmenu item at a position where the arrangement direction of the firstmenu item intersects with the arrangement direction of the second menuitem.

Therefore, the display position of the application selection menu itemand the display positions of the first and second menu items can bebrought close. Thus, since all the menu items can be located atsubstantially one location, the user's operability can be more improved.

The display screen may be rectangular in shape, and wherein the displayunit may be configured to display the application selection menu item onany one of an upper left corner, an upper right corner, a lower leftcorner, and a lower right corner of the display screen.

Therefore, since the display screen can be efficiently utilized, theinformation image created by the execution of the application can bedisplayed largely.

The display unit may change, when an active application is newlyselected, the first menu item and the second menu item to anotherapplication proprietary menu item associated with the newly selectedapplication.

Therefore, even if the application is switched to another application, amenu item associated with the new application can still be displayed inthe same display manner.

The application proprietary menu item may be configured to be in ahierarchical manner, and the first menu item may be laid at a top layerof the hierarchy and the second menu item may be laid at another layerin the hierarchy, immediately lower than the first menu item.

Therefore, even if the application has many menu items, the user caneasily find a desired menu item.

The display unit may be configured to display all the menu items of thetop layer of the hierarchy serially in one direction, as the first menuitem.

Therefore, a menu tree set to the application can be easily recognizedby the user.

The display unit may be configured to serially display in one directionall the menu items which are laid at an immediately lower layer in thehierarchy than the first menu item, as the second menu item.

Therefore, the menu tree set to the application can be more easilyrecognized by the user.

The second menu item may display setting values of a corresponding menuitem.

Therefore, the user can recognize contents of the settings only byviewing the second menu item.

The second menu item may be configured to be continuously displayed evenafter processing based on whether a selection of the second menu item bythe user is executed.

Therefore, the user can select the second menu item, without againselecting the first menu item, when sequentially selecting the secondmenu item associated with the first menu item. Therefore, the user'stime and effort can be reduced and operability can be improved.

When the second menu item is selected by the user, a third menu item maybe displayed if there is any third menu item associated with the secondmenu item.

Therefore, this configuration can be applied to an application wheremenu items are provided in a multilayer form, or an application withmany setting items, for example. Further, since the third menu item isdisplayed when the second menu item is selected, it can prevent theviewability of the information image from decreasing by the third menuitem, such as by covering up the second menu item.

After the third menu item is selected or after a menu item associatedwith the third menu item is selected, the third menu item may be hidden.

Therefore, since it can prevent the display screen from being occupiedby the third menu item, the viewability of the information image doesnot decrease.

The second menu item associated with the third menu item and the secondmenu item not associated with the third menu item may be displayeddistinguishable from each other by the user.

Therefore, the user can recognize the existence of the third menu itemonly by viewing the second menu item.

The display unit may be configured to display a common menu item that isused in common between different applications, and the common menu itemmay be continuously displayed at substantially the same position even ifthe application is switched to another application.

Therefore, the user's operation can be more unified between theapplications.

The user interface may include a plurality of user interface selectors,and the user interface selector may allow the user to select at leastone of the first menu item and the second menu item.

Therefore, even if the first menu item is arranged apart from the secondmenu item, it can prevent that time to start the selection of the menuitem and effort therefor increase.

At least one of the plurality of user interface selectors may allow theuser to select only one of the first menu item and the second menu item.

Therefore, if a user interface selector which can select only the secondmenu item is provided, for example, the second menu item can be quicklyselected after the selection of the first menu item.

The plurality of user interface selectors may allow the user to switch aselectable menu item to another menu item.

Therefore, since the selection of the menu item can be performed invarious ways, the configuration can be flexibly applied to useenvironment and the user's preferences.

The device may be carried in a ship having a radar antenna. Theapplication may include an application for displaying a target objectaround the ship as the information image based on a signal from theradar antenna, and an application for displaying a nautical chart aroundthe ship as the information image.

Therefore, the above-described effects can be demonstrated also in thistype of information display device which is carried in a ship.Especially for such a ship application, if the application has many menuitems and when the menu item is selected, it is not preferred that theinformation image is hidden. Therefore, the effects of the presentinvention can be demonstrated effectively in such an application.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method of displayinginformation is provided. The method includes simultaneously displayingan application selection menu item for allowing a user to select one ofapplications and an application proprietary menu item that is used witha selected application, along with an information image created byexecution of the selected application. The method also includesdisplaying the information image, the application selection menu item,and the application proprietary menu item at substantially the sameposition on a display screen, regardless of which application isselected.

Therefore, the user's operations can be unified between theapplications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by wayof limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which likereference numerals indicate like elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an informationdisplay device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view showing a configuration of a userinterface shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are views showing display contents of a display unit incase an active application is ECDIS;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are views showing display contents of the display unitin case the active application is ECDIS;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are views showing display contents of the display unitin case the application is switched from ECDIS to RADAR;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are views showing display contents of the display unitin case the active application is RADAR; and

FIGS. 7A and 7B are views showing display contents of the display unitin case the active application is RADAR.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Next, one embodiment of the present invention is described in detailwith reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagramshowing a configuration of an information display device 20 according tothis embodiment. FIG. 2 is an elevational view showing a configurationof a user interface 23 shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the information display device 20 includes acontroller 21, a nautical chart information storage 22, a user interface23, and a display unit 24. The information display device 20 isconnected with various sensors, for example, which can detect positionalinformation on a ship which equips this display device (hereinafter,simply referred to as “the ship”), and positional information on one ormore target objects. Detection results of these sensors are inputtedinto the controller 21. The controller 21 creates a radar image and anautical chart around the ship based on the detection results of thesensors, and causes the display unit 24, which has a rectangular displayscreen in this embodiment, to display the radar image and the nauticalchart. Note that the shape of the display screen may also be square orother shapes suitable for the present invention.

A user operates the user interface 23 to switch display contents of thedisplay unit 24 and change various settings of the display device. Asshown in FIG. 2, the user interface 23 is a hardware component thatincludes user interface selectors such as an operation knob 51, atrackball 52, and various kinds of keys.

The operation knob 51 can be rotated or turned by the user to move acursor onto a predetermined menu item, and the user can then push theoperation knob 51 to select the menu item. The trackball 52 can allowthe user to move a pointer to a predetermined menu item, and the usercan then select the menu item by clicking the trackball. Each of theseselection manners of the menu item can be carried out by a commonoperation even when the application is switched to another application,as described later in detail.

The information display device 20 is mainly connected with an antennaunit 10, a GPS receiver 14, an aerovane 15, and an orientation sensor16.

The antenna unit 10 includes a radar antenna 11 and a transceiver 12.The radar antenna 11 transmits pulse-shaped radio waves (transmissionpulse signals) with a high directivity, and receives echo signals(reflection waves) from one or more target objects.

The transceiver 12 samples the echo signals which the radar antenna 11received and then outputs digitized echo signals to the controller 21.

The controller 21 is comprised of hardware (not illustrated) including aCPU, RAM, and ROM, and software including various kinds of computerprograms stored in the ROM. The controller 21 executes one or moreprograms to control the information display device 20 (e.g., to controldisplay of the display unit). The program(s) may be stored in the ROMprovided to the controller 21, or may be stored in an externalnonvolatile storage media (e.g., a CD-ROM) which is readable by thecontroller 21. The controller 21 calculates a distance to a source ofthe echo (i.e., a target object, such as another ship or land) based ona time length until the radar antenna 11 receives the echo signal. Adirection of the radar antenna 11 when receiving the echo (i.e., atransceiving direction of the radio wave) indicates an azimuth where theecho source exists. Thus, the controller 21 can calculate a position ofthe echo source and then display the position on the display unit 24.The controller 21 can also perform setting of the radar antenna 11 and aradar image through operations of the user (e.g., setting of a pulsewidth of the transmission pulse signal, setting of whether or notinterference removal processing is to be performed, etc.).

The GPS receiver 14 receives positioning signals through a GPS antenna13 to detect a current position or positional information of the ship(in detail, a position of the GPS antenna 13). The positionalinformation calculated by the GPS receiver 14 is then outputted to thecontroller 21.

The aerovane 15 may have a typical configuration where a vertical tailfin and a propeller are attached to a horizontally-rotatable main body.Thus, when the vertical tail fin receives wind, the main body turns on ahorizontal plane so that the propeller points windward. Therefore, awind direction can be detected based on the direction of the main body,and a wind speed can be detected based on a rotating speed of thepropeller. The wind direction and the wind speed detected by theaerovane 15 are transmitted to the controller 21.

The orientation sensor 16 is provided with two or more GPS antennasfixed to the ship, and can detect a heading of the ship based onpositioning signals and a relative spatial relationship of the GPSantennas. The ship's heading detected by the orientation sensor 16 istransmitted to the controller 21. Note that the orientation sensor 16may also be a magnetic orientation sensor, a gyrocompass, etc.

The controller 21 displays the detection results of the sensors on thedisplay unit 24 based on the data inputted from the aerovane 15, theorientation sensor 16, and other sensors (not illustrated). Thecontroller 21 can change the data displayed on the display unit 24 anddisplay positions of the data, according to the user's operation(s).

As described above, the information display device 20 includes thenautical chart information storage 22 which stores an electronicnautical chart. The controller 21 automatically displays the nauticalchart around the ship on the display unit 24 based on the positionalinformation on the ship inputted from the GPS receiver 14 and the memorycontent of the nautical chart information storage 22.

Moreover, the controller 21 has a route creating function, which createsa ship's route for arriving at a destination from a starting positionbased on information such as marks stored in advance, and displays theroute on the display unit 24 together with the ship position.

As described above, the controller 21 is configured to execute theapplication for performing processing relating to the antenna unit 10and the radar image, the application for displaying the data in a formset by the user, and the application for performing processing relatingto the electronic nautical chart and the route. The controller 21 isconfigured to display on the display unit 24 the information image froman application which the user selected.

Next, referring to FIGS. 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7A, and 7B, thecontents displayed on the display unit 24 and an operation methodthereof are described. FIGS. 3A and 3B, and 4A and 4B are views showingdisplay contents of the display unit 24 in a case where an activeapplication is ECDIS, which is the application for performing processingrelating to the electronic nautical chart and the route. FIGS. 5A and 5Bare views showing display contents of the display unit 24 in a casewhere the application is switched from ECDIS to RADAR, which is theapplication for performing processing relating to the antenna unit 10and the radar image. FIGS. 6A and 6B, and 7A and 7B are views showingdisplay contents of the display unit 24 in the case where the activeapplication is RADAR. Note that the term “active application” as usedherein refers to the application which is currently displayed.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the display content of the display unit 24 includesthe electronic nautical chart or the radar image as an information imagelargely displayed in the middle of the display screen. The displaycontent also includes an application display part 30, a first menu itemdisplay part 31, a second menu item display part 32, a common menu itemdisplay part 35, and a navigation data display part 36. As shown inFIGS. 4A and 4B, a third menu item display part 33 and/or a fourth menuitem display part 34 may be temporarily displayed on the display unit24.

First, the case when the active application is ECDIS is described indetail.

The application display part 30 is arranged in an upper left corner ofthe display screen. The application display part 30 shows whichapplication is active. When switching the active application (e.g., whenchanging from ECDIS to RADAR), the user operates the trackball 52 tomove the pointer 37, and then clicks on the application display part 30.Then, as shown in FIG. 5A, a list of applications is displayed below theapplication display part 30. The list and the application display part30 constitute an application selection menu 30 a. Then, the user movesthe pointer 37 to “RADAR” which is an application the user wants todisplay in this example. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5A, a box-shapedcursor is displayed on “RADAR” where the pointer 37 is set. Then, by theuser clicking in this state, the active application is switched fromECDIS to RADAR (see FIG. 5B). Note that the application display part 30and the application selection menu 30 a have a common displayconfiguration regardless of which application is selected. Further, aselection manner of the application (a device used for the selection, aprocedure of the selection, etc.) is common regardless of whichapplication is selected.

The first menu item display part 31 is arranged in an elongated areaalong an edge of the display screen (e.g., an upper edge part of thedisplay unit 24) from an upper left corner of the display screen (i.e.,a screen corner where the name of the application is displayed). In thefirst menu item display part 31, first menu items are arranged in a linein the horizontal direction. The first menu items are menu items whichare used with the application displayed on the application display part30 (i.e., an active or selected application). In this embodiment, sincean application with many menu items (ECDIS, RADAR, etc.) is used, themenu items are displayed in a hierarchical manner. The first menu itemdisplay part 31 displays all the menu items associated with a top layerof the hierarchy-type menu.

When selecting the first menu item, the user first operates thetrackball 52 to move the pointer 37 to a desired first menu item. Atthis time, a box-shaped cursor is displayed on the first menu item wherethe pointer 37 is located (see FIG. 3A). Then, by clicking in thisstate, the first menu item can be selected. The selected first menu itemdiffers in an indication color from other first menu items (e.g., thecolor is inverted) (see FIG. 3B). Note that in the figure the invertedcolor is indicated by hatching.

The second menu item display part 32 is arranged in an elongated areaalong an edge of the display screen (e.g., a left edge part of thedisplay unit 24) from the upper left corner of the display screen (i.e.,a screen corner where the name of the application is displayed). In thesecond menu item display part 32, the second menu items are arranged ina line in the vertical direction. Thus, the application selection menu30 a is displayed at a position where the arrangement direction of thefirst menu items and the arrangement direction of the second menu itemsintersect. In the second menu item display part 32, all the menu itemsin a layer of the hierarchy immediately lower than the first menu itemwhich is selected as described above are arranged in the same line asthe second menu items in the same direction. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 3Aand 3B, the second menu item display part 32 displays different secondmenu items according to the selection of the first menu item. There aretwo patterns of the second menu items: one is a case where menu items(third menu items) also exist in a layer lower than the second menuitem, and the other is a case where the lower layer does not exist inthe second menu item. The second menu item is configured todistinguishably display which pattern the second menu item falls. Inthis embodiment, a triangle distinguishing mark is displayed, only onthe second menu item where the lower-layer third menu items exist, at alower right of the box, and therefore, the user can distinguish theexistence of the third menu items.

When selecting the second menu item, the user moves the box-shapedcursor displayed on the second menu item display part 32 by rotating theoperation knob 51, and then moves the cursor to a desired second menuitem. The second menu item can be selected by pushing the operation knob51 in this state. The user can cause the controller 21 to perform theselected work and settings by selecting the second menu item where thedistinguishing mark is not displayed. On the other hand, the user candisplay the third menu item display part 33 by selecting the second menuitem where the distinguishing mark is displayed (see FIG. 4A).

Normally, the second menu item display part 32 is always displayed.Therefore, for example, if there is a first menu item used frequently,the user can select the lower-layer second menu item, without selectingthe first menu item each time. Note that the second menu item displaypart 32 may also be hidden according to the user's operation through theuser interface 23.

The third menu item display part 33 is not usually displayed in order toprevent it from overlapping with the electronic nautical chart.Therefore, only when the second menu item where the distinguishing markis displayed is selected, as shown in FIG. 4A, the third menu itemdisplay part 33 is displayed in the elongated area extending to theright from the second menu item display part 32. In the third menu itemdisplay part 33, the third menu items which locate in the layer lowerthan the selected second menu item are arranged in the horizontaldirection (i.e., in the same direction as the first menu items). Adistinguishing mark is displayed at a lower right corner of the box ofthe third menu item, similar to the second menu item, only when menuitems exist in a layer lower than the third menu item (fourth menuitems). Note that a selection of the third menu item display part 33 canbe performed using the trackball 52 similar to the first menu item.

The user can cause the controller 21 to perform the selected work andsettings by selecting the third menu item where the distinguishing markis not displayed. On the other hand, the user can display the fourthmenu item display part 34 by selecting the third menu item where thedistinguishing mark is displayed (see FIG. 4B). After the selection ofthe third menu item or the selection of the fourth menu item associatedwith the third menu item is performed, the third menu item will behidden (i.e., will not be displayed).

In the fourth menu item display part 34, the fourth menu itemsassociated with the selected third menu item are arranged in thevertical direction (i.e., in the same direction as the second menuitems). Note that a selection of the fourth menu item display part 34can be performed using the trackball 52 similar to the first menu item.

In this embodiment, the arrangement of the menu items is kept sameregardless of which application is active or selected, while thecontents of the menu items are changed according to the activeapplication. Therefore, the user's operations can be unified betweenapplications. As shown in FIG. 5A, the display unit 24 cansimultaneously display the information image (e.g., the electronicnautical chart) created by the execution of the selected application,the application selection menu 30 a, and the menu items used with theselected application (the first to fourth menu items).

In this embodiment, the menu items are selected as described above, andthe operation knob 51 is used only for the selection of the second menuitem and the trackball 52 is used for other selections. Thus, since itis not necessary to move the pointer 37 greatly after the selection ofthe first menu item, the second menu item can be selected quickly. Notethat arbitrary settings are possible for the selection manner of themenu item. For example, settings which can select a menu item other thanthe second menu item using the operation knob 51, or settings which canselect the second menu item using the trackball 52 may also be applied.

As for the user interface selector, for example, an external mouse mayalso be used instead of the trackball 52. A configuration provided withdirection keys and an ENTER key may also be used as the user interfaceselector.

The common menu item display part 35 is arranged below the second menuitem in the display screen. In the common menu item display part 35, thecommon menu items which are used in common between differentapplications are displayed. The common menu item display part 35 isconfigured to be displayed at the same position even when theapplication is switched (see FIGS. 5A and 5B). Therefore, the user'soperations between the applications can be unified.

Processing performed by the common menu item may include processingwhich cancels an operation and resumes an original state (i.e., UNDO),and processing which adjusts indication colors of the display screen,for example.

The navigation data display part 36 displays information according tothe application (e.g., settings information related to the route ifECDIS), and information always displayed regardless of which applicationis selected (a speed, a position, a heading of the ship, etc.).

Next, a particular example of the menu items in case the activeapplication is ECDIS is described briefly. In ECDIS, “routesurveillance,” “route plan,” and “nautical chart management” are set asthe first menu items, for example. “Route surveillance” is a menu itemfor performing settings relating to an indication of route settings.“Route plan” is a menu item for setting the route. “Nautical chartmanagement” is a menu item for performing an installation or an updateof data of the electronic nautical chart.

The second menu item associated with “route surveillance” may include“display settings,” for example. Further, the third menu item associatedwith “display settings” may include “divided indication” and “objectsettings,” for example. “Divided indication” is a menu item fordisplaying two or more nautical charts with different positions andscales on the display unit 24. “Object settings” is a menu item forsetting the information displayed on the electronic nautical chart.

The fourth menu items associated with “object settings” may be “selectdisplay object” and “mark settings,” for example. “Select displayobject” is a menu item for selecting an object to be displayed on thenautical chart (the mark which the user sets, a buoy, etc.). “Marksettings” is a menu item for setting a shape of the mark to display.

Next, a configuration of the display unit 24 after the application isswitched from ECDIS to RADAR is described in detail. In this embodiment,when the active application is switched, the first menu item and thesecond menu item are switched to the menu items associated with thenewly selected application (see FIGS. 5A and 5B). As shown in FIGS. 5Aand 5B, even when the application is switched from ECDIS to RADAR, thefirst menu item display part 31 is still arranged along the upper edgeof the display screen, while the second menu item display part 32 isalso still arranged along the left edge of the display screen. Note thatthe number of menu items displayed in the first menu item display part31 and the size of the menu item displayed in the second menu itemdisplay part 32 may varies, though the variations may be small. Herein,“the display position of the menu item is substantially common” includessuch a case where there is a minute change between applications.

Whereas, when the active application is switched to RADAR, the displaycontents of the common menu item display part 35 do not change asdescribed above. On the other hand, the display contents of thenavigation data display part 36 change in part so that informationaccording to the application (e.g., information relating to a targettracking in the case of RADAR) is displayed. As the first menu item, themenu items for performing settings relating to the antenna unit 10 andthe radar image are displayed. Specifically, the first menu item mayinclude a menu item for instructing a start of transmission of pulsesignals, a menu item for selecting the antenna to be used if a pluralityof radar antennas are provided, and a menu item for switching a displaymode of the radar image.

Hereinafter, the display mode of the radar image is described in detail.Although various setting items exist for the radar, these settings canbe carried out in batch processing by setting a display mode. In thisembodiment, the display mode includes a short-distance mode, along-distance mode, a seashore mode, and a user setting mode (i.e., adisplay mode to which desired settings are done by the user), forexample (in the figure, they are denoted as MODE1, MODE2, . . . ).

As shown in FIG. 5B, the first menu item display part 31 displays adisplay mode which is currently set or selected. When the user wishes toswitch the display mode, the user operates the trackball 52 and thenclicks on the display mode of the first menu item display part 31. Then,as shown in FIG. 6A, a list of the display modes (the display modeselection menu 31 a) will be displayed. Then, the user can change thedisplay mode by clicking on another desired display mode. Note thatFIGS. 6A and 6B show a state when switching the display mode from MODE3to MODE2.

On the other hand, the second menu item display part 32 displays thesetting items relating to the radar as the second menu items. The secondmenu items are configured to display, not only the contents of thesetting items, but also the current settings (which level is selected orwhich function is ON/OFF). The second menu item may also includesettings of the pulse width, gain settings, synchronizing settings, etc.

The settings of the second menu items can be changed collectively or inbatch processing by selecting the display mode as described above (seeFIGS. 6A). For example, when the short-distance mode is selected, allthe settings are simultaneously changed so that a target object at ashort distance becomes easy to view.

After switching the display mode, the user can change a level of thesetting items and adjust the radar image (see FIGS. 7A and 7B), by asimilar operation to the selection of the third menu item in a casewhere the active application is ECDIS. Particularly, in this embodiment,since the second menu item continues being displayed while the currentsettings are displayed in the second menu items, such an adjustment canbe performed easily.

Thus, the selection of the menu item is performed through a similarprocedure (i.e., a similar selection manner) to the case where theactive application is ECDIS, by using the operation knob 51 and thetrackball 52. Note that, when the active application is RADAR, unlikethe case of ECDIS, it is necessary to perform the selection from thedisplay mode selection menu 31a of a pull-down type when selecting thefirst menu item. Herein, “the selection manners of the menu item aresubstantially common” also includes a case where the selection mannersdiffer slightly between the applications.

As described above, the information display device 20 displays theinformation image created by the execution of the selected applicationand the name of the selected application in the upper left corner of thedisplay screen. The first menu items are displayed in the horizontaldirection along an edge of the display screen from the position wherethe application name is displayed. The information display device 20displays the second menu items associated with the first menu item, inthe vertical direction along an edge of the display screen from theposition where the application name is displayed. The informationdisplay device 20 displays the menu item associated with the newlyselected application when the active application is switched. Note thatdisplay processing of the display unit 24 is performed by executing acomputer executable program stored in the ROM of the controller 21, asdescribed above.

Therefore, the user's operations can be unified between theapplications. Thus, the user can easily find out a desired menu itemeven if the application has many menu items (e.g., like the case ofECDIS).

In the information display device 20, the second menu items continuebeing displayed also after processing is performed based on theselection of the second menu item. Therefore, the second menu item canbe selected with an easy operation when sequentially selecting two ormore second menu items associated with the first menu item.

Further, since the information display device 20 displays thedistinguishing mark for identifying the second menu item associated withthe third menu item, the user can recognize the existence of the thirdmenu items only by viewing the second menu item. Further, since thethird menu items are displayed only when the second menu item isselected, it can prevent the viewability of the display screen frombecoming degraded by the third menu items (e.g., overlapped with thethird menu item).

The information display device 20 includes the user interface selector(i.e., the operation knob 51 and the trackball 52). The user interfaceselector can select at least one of the first menu item and the secondmenu item. Therefore, even if it has such a configuration where theposition of the first menu item and the position of the second menu itemtend to be separate from each other, it can prevent time to start aselection of the menu item and an effort therefor from increasing.

Although a suitable embodiment of the present invention is describedabove, such a configuration of the embodiment may also be modified orchanged as follows.

The display screen described in the above embodiment is merely anexample, and the information image, the application selection menu, andthe menu item that is used with the selected application are to besuitably displayed at the substantially same position regardless ofwhich application is selected or active.

The application selection menus 30 a (of the application display part30) may be displayed on an upper right corner, a lower left corner, or alower right corner of the display screen, other than on the upper leftcorner.

Contrary to the configuration of the above embodiment, the first menuitem may be arranged in a line in the vertical direction along an edgeof the display screen from the position where the menu for allowing theuser to select one of the applications is displayed (e.g., the upperleft corner of the display screen), whereas the second menu item may bearranged in a line in the horizontal direction along an edge of thedisplay screen from the position where the menu for allowing the user toselect one of the applications is displayed (e.g., the upper left cornerof the display screen). Alternatively, the first menu item and thesecond menu item may be arranged in parallel to each other.Specifically, the first menu items may be arranged along an upper edgeof the display screen, while the second menu items may be arranged alonga lower edge of the display screen, or the first menu items may bearranged along a left edge of the display screen, while the second menuitems may be arranged along a right edge of the display screen.Alternatively, the first menu items are arranged in a part of the upperedge (e.g., left-hand side) of the display screen, while the second menuitems are arranged next to the first menu items (i.e., right-hand sideof the upper edge of the display screen).

Sensors to be connected to the display unit are not limited to thesensors in the above embodiment, the display unit may also be connectedwith a sonar, a fish finder, etc. The application executable by thecontroller 21 is not limited to the application described in the aboveembodiment, but the controller 21 may be able to execute an applicationwhich displays school-of-fish information based on data acquired fromthe fish finder, for example.

The information display device is not limited to the application to aship; but the information display device may be carried in other movablebodies, such as an automobile or an airplane, and may have aconfiguration which displays information images of applications used bythe movable body (e.g., navigation software). Alternatively, theinformation display device may be applicable to a store managementsystem which performs management of both sales and personnel byselectively using a plurality of applications, or a system whichperforms editing of an image and sound by selectively using a pluralityof applications, for example.

In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments of the presentinvention have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the artappreciates that various modifications and changes can be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention as set forth in theclaims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to beregarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and allsuch modifications are intended to be included within the scope ofpresent invention. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, andany element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution tooccur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical,required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims.The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including anyamendments made during the pendency of this application and allequivalents of those claims as issued.

1. An information display device, comprising: a controller configured toexecute a plurality of applications; a user interface configured toreceive a user instruction for the controller; and a display unit forsimultaneously displaying an application selection menu item forallowing the user to select one of the applications and an applicationproprietary menu item that is used with a selected application, alongwith an information image created by execution of the selectedapplication, wherein the display unit is configured to display theinformation image, the application selection menu item, and theapplication proprietary menu at substantially the same position on adisplay screen of the display unit, regardless of which application isselected.
 2. The information display device of claim 1, wherein aselection manner of the application selection menu item and a selectionmanner of the application proprietary menu item are configured to besubstantially the same, regardless of which application is selected. 3.The information display device of claim 1, wherein the display unit isconfigured to display a common menu item that is used in common betweendifferent applications, and the common menu item is continuouslydisplayed at substantially the same position even if the application isswitched to another application.
 4. The information display device ofclaim 1, wherein the application proprietary menu item includes: a firstmenu item configured to be displayed along an edge of the displayscreen, and arranged at least one of vertically and horizontally; and asecond menu item associated with the first menu item, displayed along anedge of the display screen, and arranged at least one of vertically andhorizontally.
 5. The information display device of claim 4, wherein anarrangement direction of the first menu item is different from anarrangement direction of the second menu item.
 6. The informationdisplay device of claim 5, wherein the display unit is configured todisplay the application selection menu item at a position where thearrangement direction of the first menu item intersects with thearrangement direction of the second menu item.
 7. The informationdisplay device of claim 4, wherein the display screen is rectangular inshape, and wherein the display unit is configured to display theapplication selection menu item on any one of an upper left corner, anupper right corner, a lower left corner, and a lower right corner of thedisplay screen.
 8. The information display device of claim 4, whereinthe display unit changes, when an active application is newly selected,the first menu item and the second menu item to another applicationproprietary menu item associated with the newly selected application. 9.The information display device of claim 4, wherein the applicationproprietary menu item is configured to be in a hierarchical manner, andthe first menu item is laid at a top layer of the hierarchy and thesecond menu item is laid at another layer in the hierarchy, immediatelylower than the first menu item.
 10. The information display device ofclaim 9, wherein the display unit is configured to display all the menuitems of the top layer of the hierarchy serially in one direction, asthe first menu item.
 11. The information display device of claim 10,wherein the display unit is configured to serially display in onedirection all the menu items which are laid at an immediately lowerlayer in the hierarchy than the first menu item, as the second menuitem.
 12. The information display device of claim 4, wherein the secondmenu item displays setting values of a corresponding menu item.
 13. Theinformation display device of claim 4, wherein the second menu item isconfigured to be continuously displayed even after processing based on aselection of the second menu item by the user is executed.
 14. Theinformation display device of claim 4, wherein when the second menu itemis selected by the user, a third menu item is displayed if there is anythird menu item associated with the second menu item.
 15. Theinformation display device of claim 4, wherein the display unit isconfigured to display a common menu item that is used in common betweendifferent applications, and the common menu item is continuouslydisplayed at substantially the same position even if the application isswitched to another application.
 16. The information display device ofclaim 4, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of userinterface selectors, and the user interface selector allows the user toselect at least one of the first menu item and the second menu item. 17.The information display device of claim 16, wherein at least one of theplurality of user interface selectors allows the user to select only oneof the first menu item and the second menu item.
 18. The informationdisplay device of claim 17, wherein the plurality of user interfaceselectors allow the user to switch a selectable menu item to anothermenu item.
 19. The information display device of claim 1, wherein thedevice is carried in a ship having a radar antenna, and wherein theapplication includes an application for displaying a target objectaround the ship as the information image based on a signal from theradar antenna, and an application for displaying a nautical chart aroundthe ship as the information image.
 20. A method of displayinginformation, comprising: simultaneously displaying an applicationselection menu item for allowing a user to select one of applicationsand an application proprietary menu item that is used with a selectedapplication, along with an information image created by execution of theselected application; and displaying the information image, theapplication selection menu item, and the application proprietary menuitem at substantially the same position on a display screen, regardlessof which application is selected.